Don't P Off A DemiGod
by tvaddict23
Summary: Gabrielle is dealt a strange punishment when she ticks off Ares nephew
1. PART 1

DISCLAIMER – Belong to Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, et al, MCA, Studios USA, and Pacific Renaissance Pictures

A/N - Although I've posted quite a few fics, thiswas only the secondI'd ever written at the time. (the very, very first one was for Young Riders) I also consider it one of the best things I've wrtten (I'm sure you'll let me know otherwise. Please dont be too brutal though)

* * *

DAY 1

Menace turned and paced the room for the hundredth time muttering, 'I'm bored!' over and over. A bug trundling along the wall caught his attention. He flicked it to the ground and kept himself amused for the next five minutes by turning it on its back, watching as it righted itself, then turning it on it's back again. The whole time, he couldn't help but wonder how much longer it would take the stricken insect to right itself if he were to pull off a few of its legs. The demi-gods short attention span and boredom saved the creatures life. It scuttled into the nearest niche, as Menace went back to his pacing. After a few minutes he decided to pop in on his Uncle Ares.

Ares made a small adjustment to the General of the Green Army. He felt his idiot nephew's arrival before the twit even opened his mouth.

'Hey Unc, what're you doin'?'

The god of war looked up from his model replica of Greece. His nephew stood before him resplendent in a purple out-fit that would have made Aphrodite jealous. He shook his head and went back to rearranging armies and planning strategy. Menace picked up a couple of the pieces and began playing with them.

The young demi-god held them up to each other. To the red soldier he gave a falsetto voice, 'I'm going to kill you.'

The green soldier replied in a rough baritone. 'No, you flea ridden Gorgon. _I'm_ going to kill _you_!'

They attacked each other, screaming.

Ares snatched them away, with a scowl, checking them for damage before placing them carefully back in their ranks. With out looking up he asked in an exasperated tone, 'What're you doing here?'

Menace moved to pick up the Green General. Ares warned him away with a glare. 'I'm bored Unc.'

'Go away and annoy someone else!'

'But isn't there anyone you want harassed?' he whined.

'No! Now get out before…' Ares looked up, but Menace had left.

He shook his head and muttered, 'I can't believe we're related.'

……

DAY 7 

Xena's gaze was drawn to Gabrielle's eyes. Returning the gaze, the intensity grew as they drew together.

Gabrielle's mind churned, and she started to pull away. 'Xena…'

Xena put a finger to the bruised lips. 'Shh…' She kissed the abrasion tenderly. Gabrielle gave in and accepted the invitation. Softly rubbing Xena's shoulder, she ran her lips over the gentle ridge of her collarbone. Xena drew in a deep breath as Gabrielle's lips caressed the nape of her neck. Gabrielle hooked her fingers into the shoulder strap of Xena's bodice, and pulled it down. Lips followed fingers. The passion was undeniable. As their kiss gained intensity, Gabrielle again pulled away, frightened by the moment. Xena reached out calmly. A peaceful, loving, confident expression on her face. She undid the fastenings on Gabrielle's shirt. Leaning forward, she traced a blazing trail of kisses over the bruised ribs, and back up to Gabrielle's mouth. Gabrielle leaned into the kiss. They explored each other tenderly at first, then with increased lust.

Gabrielle woke with a start. Sweat slicked her body, and she was breathing heavily. Latent images from the dream that had woken her floated through her mind. The dream had started in a field of flowers. A warm breeze caressed her face. Meridian was walking toward her, and she felt such an incredible love toward her. They would hug, as though long lost best friends. Then, against her will she would take the knife that would appear from thin air, and stab Meridian. No matter how hard she tried not to grab that knife, she would find herself lifting her arm, gripping the handle, then the slight give as flesh made way for metal.

The dream had always been disturbing, forcing her to relive her first kill night after night. Despite assurances from Xena that the dream would soon cease, it had been almost two months before she'd been able to sleep dreamless through the night. Occasionally though an unknown trigger would set something off in her mind and she'd have a few sleepless nights before the dream would again fade.

Two nights ago after almost a year of peaceful dreams, the nightmare returned. The beginning remained the same, but from where she and Meridian would hug, the dream became a mass of fragmented, disturbing images. This morning had by far been the worst. With a distorted edition of what had happened the previous night.

Drawing her knees painfully to her chest, she rested her head on them waiting for her mind to clear, and the unease to subside. As the light slowly began to increase, so did the bird song, lending a cheerful aspect to the morning that did not reflect her mood. After a few minutes she felt a little better and more like herself again. She rose slowly careful not to wake the others, and gathered a few sticks to rebuild the fire.

Feeding the sticks into the smoldering embers, Gabrielle nursed the fire back to life. She held her hands close, warming herself until the shivering ceased. For a few moments she was hypnotized, watching the flames. Gabrielle let her mind clear. She saw nothing, heard nothing, feeling only the warmth of the fire. The cry of a hunting eagle bought her out of her reverie. She looked around to see if the others had been woken, but they remained soundly asleep.

Not being able to shake the strangely desolate feeling from the dark dream, Gabrielle decided to clean the dishes from the night before, and to top up the water skins with fresh water.

Her mind pondered the dream as she began the mundane routine of dish washing. She knew a part of the nightmare was a residual of the beating she'd taken the day before, but the meaning of the fractured images from the rest of the dream eluded her. It was a frustrating feeling. Her dreams, always so vivid, were her escape. A freedom she never felt in her waking hours, she was able to obtain through her dreams. Flying with eagles, swimming with dolphins. Insights into herself, and others that were only ever forthcoming in her dreams. Not knowing what the usually clear images were telling her was distressing and frustrating, and she tried not to take it as a sign of worse to come.

…..

Xena woke slowly, luxuriating in the warmth of her bedding. She spent the first minute debating whether to get up and re-stoke the fire, or roll over and doze for a few more minutes. Turning on her side, she discovered the fire was already blazing. '_I thought it was a little too warm for this early in the morning.' _She checked the bedding; Gabrielle was nowhere in sight. For Gabrielle to be up before everyone else was unusual. Most mornings she had such trouble rousing Gabrielle, she felt like dousing her staff-carrying friend with cold water. Xena smiled at the memory of the only time she'd actually used cold water to wake her friend.

It'd been about two years ago. She'd let the warriors enter the camp, pretending to be asleep. The first warrior bought his sword down. She stopped the blade by clapping her hands on it. A couple of kicks, one to his body, the other to his head, temporarily put him out of action. A frying pan and pot became improvised weapons as she focused on the fight. Two frying pan blows to the head downed another warrior. The next received a pot to the midriff. Another barely avoided the pot only to be slugged with the pan. She was having fun.

The first warrior got up again. This time prepared. Both swords were drawn. He lunged; she parried with the pot. He lunged again; she threw it aside with the pan. Lunge, parry, left right. He'd put up a good fight, but left himself open long enough for her to put the pot over his head. Over his shoulder she saw two warriors approaching her sleeping friend. Somewhat surprised that the ruckus hadn't already woken her, Xena dispatched the warrior by pounding the frying pan on the pot. She smiled at the memory. His head was probably still ringing.

Two steps, and she flipped a somersault, giving her customary war cry, she landed square on a water skin, sending a stream of cold water directly into the sleeping bard's face. The reaction had been immediate, and she woke, spluttering. Realizing the danger, she grabbed her staff and waded into the fight.

The fracas was over shortly after. When it was over, the only fatality had been the frying pan. Xena had used it like a chakram, knocking out three warriors that had tripped Gabrielle, and were ready to start carving.

Gabrielle had been livid at the loss of the frying pan; conveniently forgetting it had saved her life. For the rest of the day she whined about its loss. Even now it would be bought up, but usually in good humor. Xena grinned at the memory as she made her way to the stream. The only place Gabrielle would be as the water skins, and last nights dishes were gone.

Through the undergrowth Xena caught a glimpse of Gabrielle sitting on her haunches, water skins in hand, and dishes laying on the bank beside her, all but forgotten. Closing the distance in a few steps, Xena called out. 'Hey!'

Gabrielle, still lost in her thoughts, dropped the water bag and swung around. Suddenly off balance, she pin wheeled to keep from falling into the water. Xena stepped forward quickly, deftly catching the front of Gabrielle' tunic, she pulled her back from the edge of the bank. Xena's smile was replaced with a look of concern. 'You alright?'

Both feet now firmly back on the bank, Gabrielle swatted Xena's hands from her tunic in anger. 'Ow! Damn it Xena! Do you have to sneak up on people like that?'

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. _Great,_ she thought chiding herself. _All I'm ever doing now days is snapping. _She gave Xena an apologetic shrug. 'I'm sorry, I guess the last few days…well, you know.'

Xena searched Gabrielle's face for the full truth. A few seconds and a raised eyebrow later, Gabrielle added, 'Bad dreams, I've been having bad dreams.'

'Can you remember any of them?'

Gabrielle shook her head, looked Xena square in the eye and lied. 'No.'

Xena looked at her, waiting for the rest. Gabrielle shrugged. 'They make me feel uneasy.'

Xena raised an eyebrow. 'And that's all you remember?' Gabrielle nodded.

'Sure?'

Again Gabrielle nodded, and smiled a little. 'Yeah.'

Xena searched her face for more information. There'd been a time and not that long ago, when looking into Gabrielle's eyes would tell her all she needed to know. Lately though she'd discovered her sidekick had become very adept at hiding her feelings.

Gabrielle saw the frustration through Xena's smile. She felt bad, but until she figured out what the dream meant, she'd keep it to herself.

As they'd talked, the current had taken the dropped water-skin down stream. Xena chased it for a few yards before finally fishing it from the water. Turning to walk back, she watched Gabrielle pick up the remaining water skin and dishes. Gabrielle's evasion of what was bothering her was frustrating. She'd never been one to hold things back. There'd been times when the warrior had had to endure such a constant stream of chatter she'd almost felt like telling her to shut up. She never had though. Most of the time Gabrielle would catch herself. There would then follow a few moments of silence before she'd start off on another tangent. It used to irritate her. Now, she wouldn't do without it. Making Gabrielle's current silent spell that much more worrying. And she'd lied about the dreams. She didn't know specifically, but she did know she'd been lied too.

Gabrielle looked up and caught her staring. 'Something wrong?'

Xena smiled. 'Nope, nothing.' She headed back to camp. Gabrielle, silent, lost in thought lagged behind.

…..

Siromos woke slowly. _Damn I'm cold_ he thought. _Cold and uncomfortable_. Trying to move reminded him that his ankles were bound. Rolling onto his back, he jarred his injured arm and winced at the pain. It took him a while to realize that his good arm, which had been tied behind his back, was totally numb. _Probably been lying on it half the night_, he thought.

Using his feet and mostly numb elbow, he inched his way to the nearest tree. The sleeping arm, blood flow now restored quickly became a nest of angry ants. Finally propping himself against the tree, he was able to relax for a few seconds.

While the girl was still asleep, and the other two out of camp, he decided to take the opportunity to try and escape. He had no intention of returning to his regiment, but anywhere was better than being tied up like a pig for slaughter, waiting to be executed for a crime he didn't commit.

As his good hand finally regained full feeling, he twisted it around, and by using his back, he was able to slip the rope down just enough to hook his thumb into the space it'd left. With a considerable amount of pain, and a lot of work, he was able to twist his wrist just enough to work the knot loose. In minutes he was bathed in sweat, but with each twist of his fingers, the first knot loosened, and finally came undone.

His fingers were cramping, and he was almost certain they had started bleeding, but he was determined to get away before the other two returned. The last knot finally loosened enough for him to slip his hand out. He checked his fingers, but what he'd thought had been blood, had only been sweat. Not wasting anymore time, he reached between his ankles and untied the rope. As he stood, he looked up to see Xena leaning against a tree, arms folded and a cold smile on her face. He immediately sat back down.

Xena crouched in front of him and retied the ropes while he glowered at her. 'Nice try slick, but I like you better with the bracelets on.'

As Xena retied Siromos, Gabrielle started breakfast by taking a few herbs from her pack and throwing them into a pot with the last of the flour. Mixing in just enough water to form a firm dough. She hung the pot, containing the fragrant dough over the fire to bake.

Xena who'd been watching from where Siromos was tied made her way to the fire. She slapped Gabrielle's shoulder. 'How's it coming?'

Gabrielle turned and stood. 'Bread should be done in about half an hour. I'll start the eggs later.' She nodded in Coralyn's direction. 'You going to let her sleep?'

Xena nodded. 'I figure she needs as much sleep as she can get. Our buddy Siromos is going to need a baby sitter though.'

'I'll watch him.'

Rather surprised Xena asked, 'Sure?'

'Yeah, why not? Nothing to do till the bread's finished anyway. Besides, I need to catch up on my writing.'

Gabrielle squeezed Xena's arm in friendship and gratitude. 'I'm fine.'

Xena watched her young friend rummage through her pack for her scroll, quill and ink. A sense of nostalgia washed over her. When they'd met, Gabrielle had barely been more than a hindrance. Now as Xena watched her young friend settle against a rock, she realized that if anything ever happened, she'd have a hard time coping without her.

Gabrielle paused a while before writing. Xena had turned to sharpening her sword. It was a sure sign that something was bothering her. It wasn't so much the fact that she was sharpening, but the small relatively inefficient strokes she was using. Gabrielle felt a pang of guilt, knowing she was the cause of it. Her gaze wandered over to Siromos who was watching her. He gave her a knowing wink and a lascivious smile. It took a split second before she realized what he'd meant. Flustered she looked away. Her mind went blank, and it was a while before she regained her composure enough to start writing.

_Dear Diary,_

_I've been traveling with Xena for a long time, and I've experienced some really bizarre things, but the last few days take the prize. It all started a few days ago when I was returning from a week at the most incredible spa. They had the whole thing. Relaxation techniques. Getting in touch with the inner child. Poetry readings. Plays. Interpretive mud dancing. It was fantastic, and Xena would have hated it. Which is why I was traveling alone._

_It was a hot day, and I'd been on the road since dawn. It was some time around mid-day, when…_

TBC….


	2. PART 2

DAY 1 

Gabrielle coughed and waved her hand in front of her mouth. She was just able to make out a hint of purple through the plumes of dust. Even the thundering hooves didn't drown out the sound of manic laughter. _Jerk_ she thought dusting off her clothes. _Like I haven't swallowed enough dust today._

Ever the optimist though she said aloud,_ '_At least things can't get worse.' There was a glade only five minutes away. Filled with trees, and if memory served her a small stream running through the bottom of it. The perfect place to stop awhile, relax and cool off.

Flowers and butterflies competed with each other for the brightest colors, while dozens of bees wove intricate patterns as they hovered from flower to flower. On the far side of the field she spotted some lavender, and made a mental note to pick some before she continued on. She'd learned how to make a lotion with it, and found it was excellent for toning and even cooling down on hot and muggy days like this was.

She drew in a deep breath, savoring the aroma of verdant earth and flowers. The grass was so long it tickled her knees, evoking memories of her childhood. She and her sister would usually accompany their mother to the fields to harvest the wheat. She remembered feeling ever so important taking the dozen or so stalks of grain she could manage over to the threshing mat. These bursts of activity would never last long. Invariably she'd get bored, and wander off to play with the other children, or just lie in the field, watching the clouds float by.

The grass was lower near the stream, and she took her boots off, enjoying the sensation of the cool grass under her burning feet. At the waters edge, she sat on the bank and let her feet dangle in the water. With in minutes her feet were deliciously cold. She lay back in the shade of the tree, arms spread, and eyes closed enjoying the quiet solitude. She let her mind drift, as the dappled sunlight played on her eyelids creating crazy patterns in front of her eyes. The sound of the gurgling brook, the humming of the bees, the breeze through the trees acted like a lullaby, and she dozed off.

Gabrielle woke suddenly, momentarily disorientated. With no idea of how long she'd been asleep, or what had woken her, the young woman rose cautiously, all senses alert for anything unusual. A rabbit poked his head from the undergrowth on the opposite side of the stream. She smiled a little embarrassed at her over reaction.

Wading into the knee-deep water, she started splashing her face, arms and legs. Washing off the days dust, and cooling off at the same time. With her back to the shore, she didn't notice the man standing about ten yards behind her, watching intently.

His short blond hair and average looks were off set by amazingly blue, almost violet eyes. He stood staring, a dreamy expression on his face, while Gabrielle, oblivious to his presence, started humming as she doused herself with water.

Engrossed in her bath, Gabrielle didn't hear the young stranger clear his throat.

'Hi.'

The effect on Gabrielle was immediate and galvanizing. She straightened and turned in one swift movement. Caught off balance by the drag of the water, she fell backward into the stream. 'Damn it!'

The young man rushed into the water, and held out his hand to help her up. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.'

Now chest deep in water, Gabrielle gave him a cynical look. It softened a little at the genuine concern on the stranger's face. 'You alright?'

She took the proffered hand. 'Yeah, I'm fine. Wet but fine.'

He helped her up the embankment, and clambered up behind her, grinning from ear to ear at the view. The smile disappeared as Gabrielle turned to scrutinize him. Squeezing water from her hair and skirt, she asked, 'Don't suppose you'd have anything I could dry myself with?'

He stood before her dripping and pitiful.

'No of course you don't,' she answered with a cynical smile.

Rummaging through her travel bag, she looked at him, standing in the sunshine, wiping his trousers of the excess water. And seized him up to be a rather harmless fellow traveler who was quite handsome in a rustic kind of way.

_… And he had the most intense blue eyes I've ever seen. The only other person I know with eyes that intense is Xena._

Day 7 

Gabrielle stopped writing and brushed the feather from her quill against her closed eyes. It was a little idiosyncrasy she insisted helped her organize her thoughts. Opening her eyes, she looked around the camp. Siromos seemed to have fallen asleep again, while the young girl Coralyn had just woken, and was still stretching. Xena was peering into the 'oven'.

Gabrielle put down her quill and scroll and stood. 'A watched loaf never rises.'

Xena dropped the lid and grinned sheepishly. 'Is it nearly done? I'm famished.'

Gabrielle looked into the pot. 'Think you'll starve in the next fifteen minutes?'

Smiling Xena answered, 'No.'

Returning the smile, Gabrielle said, 'Didn't think so.'

They stayed that way goofy smiles on their faces, lost in the moment.

Coralyn, clearing her throat bought them back. 'What's for breakfast?'

Shaking her head a little as if to clear it, Xena said, 'Fresh herb bread and scrambled eggs.'

Ignoring Xena Coralyn turned to Gabrielle. 'Sounds all right. So you cook too?'

'Have to. Xena can't boil water without burning it.'

Coralyn laughed. Xena smiled, Gabrielle shrugged a little embarrassed at the attention the young girl was paying her. 'I'll need to finish up my writing.'

Looking crushed, Coralyn said, 'You sure? Don't you need to look after the bread or something?'

'You can keep an eye on it if you want to.' Smiling, Coralyn sat herself in front of the fire.

Smiling, Gabrielle made herself comfortable again. Taking up her quill and scroll, she stared blindly into the camp, mostly unmindful of the goings on around her. Xena harnessing Argo, Coralyn leaving the fire and folding both her blankets and Gabrielle's, then quickly returning to watch the bread.

'Had quite a little moment there didn't you?' Gabrielle looked at Siromos. The lewd look was back on his face.

'What are you talking about?' she asked warily.

'I've seen that look before, and you're not the only one. She looks at you almost the same way as that little girl does.' He was enjoying the uncomfortable look on Gabrielle's face.

'Shut up!' she hissed at him.

'What's the problem? You're both good looking, it's only right that you be together.'

'If you don't shut-up, I'll make you.' She stared him down, daring him to say anything else.

He merely shrugged and closed his eyes again. It took her a few more moments to regain her composure, and start writing again.

… _Luckily I had one of my old shirts that I could dry myself off with. He apologized so profusely and looked so pathetic that I just had to let him off the hook…_

DAY 1 

The young man turned to Gabrielle with a lost puppy look on his face. She shook her head. 'No, I'm sorry. It's been a long day, which wasn't helped much by some moron who thundered past me in some super charged chariot.'

The stranger looked at her sharply. 'Moron?'

'Yeah, I was covered head to toe in dust, and I can still taste it in the back of my throat.'

'I guess that was kind of thoughtless,' he conceded.

'Thoughtless, it was downright rude, and totally uncalled for. The roads here are wide enough for four chariots to ride side by side.'

Defensively the stranger suggested, 'Maybe he didn't see you.'

'Oh he saw me alright!' Gabrielle said, violently stuffing the damp shirt back into her bag. 'Drove extra close, and laughed like a loon once he'd passed,' she added still upset by the whole incident.

The young man changed the subject. 'Where are you headed anyway?'

'Thessalonica. I'm supposed to meet my friend there tonight.' Gabrielle grabbed her bag and staff, and headed toward the meadow.

Eager as a puppy, the young man followed. 'You know, I'm headed that way myself. I could travel with you. I'm great company.'

Gabrielle turned and looked at him. He caught the doubt in her face. 'No, honest. I know some great stories, and I want to make up for scaring you.' His smile broadened.

Coupled with a natural willingness to take people at face value, and not wanting to pass up the opportunity at hearing a good story Gabrielle relented. 'Alright, but I'm going to dry off a little first,' she said dropping her staff and bag in a grassy clearing.

Moments later, Gabrielle lay spread eagle, eyes closed, soaking up the sun. The young man sat next to her and began nervously picking at the grass.

Drowsy, and almost asleep, Gabrielle asked, 'You know, I don't even know your name.'

The young man flinched. 'It's Alex. Yours?'

'Gabrielle.' She put on arm over her eyes. 'So Alex, tell me a story.'

Alex leaned over her, captivated by her beauty.

'Alex?'

He froze, but felt secure that she would welcome his overture of affection.

Mystified by the silence, Gabrielle asked, 'Alex, are you still there?' Still no answer. She opened her eyes, and was stunned to see Alex's face inches from hers. Instinct took over as she moved her head and shoved him aside. 'Alex!'

Alex made a move as if to pin her down. Gabrielle grabbed her staff and leaped to her feet. Breathless with surprise, fear and anger, she stood over him with her staff at his throat. 'What the _Tartarus_ do you think you're doing?'

Alex rose slowly, casually pushing the staff aside. Gabrielle now entirely confused watched in horrified silence as the rather average looking Alex, with the blue almost violet eyes slowly morphed.

Gabrielle stumbled back. Seconds later, the man who stood before her had shoulder length black hair, and was at least four inches taller than he'd been. The only feature that identified him as the Alex who'd introduced himself to her not five minutes before, were the unmistakable violet eyes. Even his peasant clothes had transformed to flowing purple silk robes.

Finally finding her voice, Gabrielle stammered, 'Wh… Who are you?'

Fancying himself quite the performer the man bowed regally and waved his head theatrically. 'My name is Menace.'

Gabrielle's expression didn't change. Her memory had no one filed under that name.

Menace continued, 'Kid brother to Strife.' Gabrielle remained stunned and motionless.

The young demi-god sighed in frustration. 'Oh, for the sake of Zeus. You've heard of Ares, the god of war?'

Gabrielle gave him a barely perceptible nod.

'Good, finally something I can work with. I'm his nephew. Not as well known as my late brother Strife, but hey, I got to build a rep, and here I am. Now, as punishment for your rejection of a god…' He raised his hands dramatically.

Gabrielle's synapses finally started firing again at the mention of the word punishment. 'WAIT!'

With a long-suffering look, the demi-god dropped his hands. 'Now what?'

'I guess I didn't hear you the first time, but tell me again, why am I being punished?' She tried desperately to remember anything that might have upset or insulted a god, but nothing came to mind.

Menace put an arm around her shoulder, which remained even though she tried to shrug it off. He spoke to her as though she was a slightly slow child. 'As I said before, you rejected a god. That would be me. Now I have to punish you. Now, where were we?'

He removed his arm and raised his hands, 'Oh yeah.'

Gabrielle's mind raced, she had to come up with something fast. She remembered hearing that Discord had transformed Hercules into a pig for about a week. Until Autolycus and Salmoneus had retrieved Artemis' bow in order to change him back.

Talking quickly she started. 'What did you expect? That I would let you kiss me, just because you appeared to be Mr. Nice Guy?' Even before she spoke she knew her words would be useless.

'ENOUGH!' Menace shouted. He could only tolerate begging for so long. Especially when it was insincere and laced with disrespect. With a stylish flick of his wrist…

'No wait!' _Please don't let me be some farmyard animal_. Gabrielle thought miserably.

Menace smiled, pleased with his handy work. 'Too late sweetie, damage's been done. But there is a way to redeem yourself, and it's a simple matter of checking out the Southern Oracle.'

Gabrielle flinched when he moved closer, but he only whispered in her ear. 'I'll leave them a message on how you can regain your figure. And by the way, be careful who you call names. The next god you insult may not be as lenient. Bye now.' He stepped back and started laughing. The laughter echoed as he disappeared in a fashion typical of all gods.

Gabrielle dropped to her knees. 'Stop. Please.'

Motionless, she ran through some of the things Menace could have done to her. Finally plucking up her courage, she stood slowly and walked to the stream_. At least it still feels like I'm human_, she thought with a ray of hope. She located a small pool of still water and leaned over cautiously to check her reflection.

'Oh great, Xena's going to love this.'

_… There was nothing else to do but continue on to Thessalonica. I knew Xena would understand, but it was going to take a little convincing._

DAY 7 

Gabrielle put down her things. Coralyn beamed at her, 'I'm pretty sure the bread's done.'

'I'm amazed it baked at all considering how many times Xena lifted the lid.' Gabrielle took the pot off the hook and grabbed a plate onto which she turned the bread.

Admonishing Xena Coralyn said, 'Told you we should have waited for Gabriel.'

The eggs they'd bought at the last village were quickly cracked and scrambled. Gabrielle looked around for a knife. She fished around in her bag and checked both saddlebags. Finally Xena handed her one. 'Here you go.'

Exasperated, Gabrielle asked her, 'That's the last one again isn't it?'

Xena shrugged, 'Guess we're going to have to buy some more at the next village.'

Gabrielle shook her head. 'I swear, if I retrieved every knife that's been left sticking out of some bad guys corpse, I could open my own knife shop.'

Xena opened her mouth to defend herself, but Gabrielle jumped in. 'I know, you like to be creative in a fight. I only wish you'd use…' Xena raised an eyebrow. '…Well, I don't know. Something other than our pots, pans and cutlery, your weapons would be my suggestion.'

She cut the bread into four pieces, and stirred the eggs one more time before taking them off the heat. She dished out the eggs into four portions, and gave each a piece of bread.

Gabrielle looked around the camp. 'Where'd Coralyn go?'

'She was here a minute ago. Her tracks go off in that direction.'

Gabrielle stood, 'I'll get her.'

'Let me try.' Xena said stopping her, with a hand on her arm. 'I know you're the one who's good at the sensitive stuff, but I want to try this myself.'

'She's not Callisto. You didn't cause her grief. Besides, she seems to have a serious crush on me. Usually makes things a lot easier.'

'She may not be Callisto, but being the cause of someone else's grief, I have a valid perspective. Maybe I can help her.' Xena took a quick mouthful of eggs and nodded at Gabrielle. 'Good.'

Gabrielle smiled. 'You really think you can help?'

Xena tore off a piece of bread and stood. 'I hope so. Be back soon.'

The young orphan's tracks weren't hard to follow. The momentary fear she'd had that the young girl had run off was dispelled when she saw her sitting on a fallen tree, back toward her. Xena cleared her throat as she neared. Coralyn quickly wiped her eyes. Xena sat next to her, facing the other way. She nudged her gently.

'Hey, you're missing breakfast. You know, it's the most important meal of the day. You helped cook it and everything. Gabriel's going to be disappointed.'

'Tell him I'm sorry, but I guess I'm not that hungry after all.' After a short pause she asked, 'Why haven't you killed him yet?' There was a seething anger just under the surface, and she did nothing to hide it.

Xena sat quietly, not sure how to answer, but wishing she had Gabrielle's innate ability to say the right thing at the right time. Before she could think of anything, Coralyn stood and started pacing.

'I mean, you're Xena! You're supposed to protect the innocent.' Finally she stood before Xena and demanded, 'So, why don't you kill him already?'

Xena took a deep breath. 'It's not that simple.'

'Yeah, actually it is. You take your sword, and you run it through him, like he ran his through my mother, brother and sister. See, simple!'

'That's not justice, that's revenge.'

'He killed my family. His death is all the justice I need.' Her voice was beginning to choke with emotion.

'Alright, let me ask you this; did you actually see him kill them?'

'Xena, you were there. You saw him, sword raised ready to kill me!'

'You didn't answer my question.'

Coralyn fell silent, tears again started running down her cheeks. Xena had made her point, but at what cost? She continued gently, 'I'm not a judge, and I'm not willing to make that kind of decision. That's why we're taking him to Athens. For a fair trial.'

Tears and anger filled her eyes. 'Whatever. I'm going back to camp.' She stormed off.

Xena rose slowly wondering what Gabrielle would have said. The gods knew she was better at pounding heads, not crawling into them.

When Xena entered the camp Coralyn was sitting with her back toward them picking at her food. Gabrielle handed Xena her plate. 'Not going so well huh!'

Xena sat, dejected. 'I don't know what I can say to make her feel better. All she wants to do is kill him.'

Gabrielle nodded. 'I can see how she'd want that.'

Xena looked at her shocked. Gabrielle quickly added. 'I didn't mean it was a good idea, I just mean, I can see that she would think of that as fair. I'm not saying you should go over and do it.'

Gabrielle shook her head as she took the prisoner his breakfast.

'Bout time,' he grumbled. 'I'm starving.'

'Well, you don't look as if you're dying yet soldier.'

He glared at her. 'I told you, my name's Siromos,' he said around a mouthful of bread and eggs.

'Right Siromos,' Gabrielle repeated. Grimacing, she wiped half-chewed bread and eggs from her face. 'Next time though you might want to swallow what's in your mouth before you speak.'

Siromos swallowed his food theatrically, 'Well aren't we a prim and proper little prig?'

Gabrielle ignored him, and fed him another forkful of eggs.

Meanwhile, Xena had finished the last of her meal, and wiped the plate clean with a handful of leaves. Casting a wary eye at the horizon, she shook her head. 'Coralyn, Siromos. Eat up fast. Looks like we might have rain before lunch, and we have to get in some good traveling before it starts.'

Coralyn handed Xena her mostly untouched breakfast. 'I'm full.' She stated and walked away.

Not wanting to waste good food, she called to Gabrielle, 'Hey, Gabriel, you want the rest of this?'

'Ooo yeah.' She left the prisoners half-finished meal on a rock.

'Hey, what about the rest of my breakfast?' he demanded. Xena walked over, grabbed the plate and began feeding the man the rest of his food.

Gabrielle tucked into the uneaten portion of Coralyn's breakfast, while Xena hurried Siromos along by feeding him forkful after forkful, barely giving him enough time to chew and swallow. Which also turned out to be a very effective way of shutting him up.

Having finished, her second breakfast, Gabrielle also cleaned her plate, and put it away. Xena bought Siromos over with his plate.

'Let's move people!'

The small band started off down the road, into a darkening sky.

…..

_… As Xena had predicted the hot spell broke with a vengeance. Although only a few yards from the Minotaur Motel, we were all drenched by the time we made shelter in their stables. That was two hours ago, and it's still pelting down. Our captured warrior is asleep, or pretending to be. Young Coralyn is sitting sullenly in a corner writing or drawing. With all she's been through in the last few days, I wish we could accommodate her and stay at the Bed and Breakfast, but Xena insists we keep a low profile. Although, I'm sure she just can't justify that expense when the barn is as good a place as any to spend the night. At the moment, she's leaning against the door, and I can tell her feet are itching to move on. As for myself, I could quite happily spend a few days here, just sleeping and writing._

_So, continuing on from where I left off this morning… There I was, slightly in shock, my clothes no longer fit, and beginning to feel very conspicuous, even though no one had passed since I'd left the glade. I had to do something…_

DAY 1 

… Gabrielle hunkered down behind the rough stonewall, wishing to Zeus that he'd strike the dumb mutt down for all the noise it was making. Finally taking her chances, she sprinted for the clothesline and ripped off an indigo pair of trousers, and a bright red shirt. She despaired over the choice, but it was a lot better tan the alternative of green trousers, and a bright yellow shirt. Dashing back to the wall, she'd just made it, over when she heard, 'You see you dumb mutt! Nobody's there.'

Gabrielle sighed in relief that the theft hadn't been noticed. She took off her top and skirt, and dressed in the stolen clothes. They were a little loose, and very loud, but a lot more comfortable than her others had become.

TBC….


	3. PART3

DISCLAIMER – Belong to Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, et al, MCA, Studios USA, and Pacific Renaissance Pictures

* * *

DAY 2

In a corner booth of the crowded tavern Xena sat watching impatiently for Gabrielle to walk through the door. She'd been at the Chartreuse Fox Tavern since it had opened that morning, after being the last to leave the night before. Her sidekick was now officially a day late, and although her rational mind knew Gabrielle was more than capable of looking after herself, she was still worried. Now, through the lunchtime crowd she watched intently as the front door opened. The door closed, and the only people that had entered, were a group of young men. One of them dressed in the most appalling outfit she'd seen in a long time. Xena shook her head and sipped at her ale. '_Kids these days couldn't dress themselves to save their lives_,' she thought with an air of contempt.

Xena watched in amusement as one of the local girls sidled up to the loud dresser. She almost laughed aloud when the young man's face turned as bright red as his shirt. She didn't need much of an imagination to know what had been asked. He bent and said something into the young woman's ear. The woman gave him an irritated look, but didn't leave. Trying to ignore her, the handsome youth scanned the room, and spying Xena made a beeline toward her. Xena watched with dismay as he neared. She just knew he was going to proposition her, as it happened all the time. The thought of wearing an ancient moth bitten wolfskin, as an alternate outfit was becoming an attractive alternative to the allure leather seemed to pose.

The young woman was still hanging off his shoulder when he finally made it to her table. He made one last attempt at getting her to leave. 'Listen, I'm sure you're very nice, but I don't need a date.' He looked at Xena. 'I'm already seeing someone.'

_Gutsy move_, Xena thought_, but when she leaves, I'm going to shoot him down like a driad_.

The young woman looked at Xena with disdain. 'Fine, but if you need some real lovin'…'

'… Then I'll know where to find you. Thankyou.' The handsome man finished for her. Giving him a dirty look, the woman made her way back through the crowd, and quickly hooked up with a much more willing customer.

'Xena.'

_Here we go_, she thought. _Try to stay as casual as possible so he can't misinterpret anything as a come on, or any form of interest what so ever_. 'Yes?'

'Xena, it's me. Gabrielle.'

_Novel approach. But there's no way I'm buying a line like that,_ she thought. 'Mmm hmm, and I'm Aphrodite.'

Gabrielle nodded. _Well, considering what I look like, I don't blame her. I wouldn't believe me either_. 'Right, proof. Your horse's name is Argo, your mother's name is Cyrene, and your father's name was Atrius. You have an older brother called Toris, and your younger brother, who was killed while defending your home village of Amphipolis was called Lyceus.'

Xena shook her head. _Not good enough._ 'Not exactly secret information.'

With a sigh Gabrielle said, 'I once traded your whip for a frying pan, because you used one of my scrolls for private purposes. Claiming there were no decent leaves in the bush.'

'Again information any person asking the right person the right questions could find out.' Xena replied.

Frustrated, Gabrielle leaned on the table, She didn't want to have to rehash any painful memories, but Xena's stubborn streak would leave her no choice, if her next bit of evidence failed to convince her. In a low voice she said, 'I traded favors with Ares so I could get to Chin ahead of you, and it almost cost you your life. Twice.'

Xena sat up a little straighter, it still wasn't the push she needed. After all, Joxer had never been the model of discretion. Before she was able to answer, one of the men from the bar sauntered over to assert his chivalrous side.

To Xena he said, 'Excuse me miss, but is this boy bothering you?'

Gabrielle stood, barely reaching the hefty mans chest. Xena covered a smile, and almost choked on the laugh that was making its way to her mouth. She cleared her throat. 'No, I'm fine. Thankyou.'

The man left, casting a doubtful look over his shoulder before sitting back down at the bar and ordering another drink.

'You're getting soft,' Gabrielle said.

Xena glared at her. Whoever this little punk was, would be in a world of hurt if he didn't either leave or convince her of who he claimed to be. 'You've got one last chance to convince me you're Gabrielle. She always says she knows what I'm thinking, and if you really are Gabrielle, you'll be able to tell me what I was thinking when you walked toward me.'

Gabrielle thought for a moment. _First it would have been something to do with this terrible outfit I've got on, closely followed by_ … She smiled. 'Your first thought when I walked in was, 'Kids these days couldn't dress themselves to save their lives.' Which was closely followed by how attractive the thought of wearing an ancient moth bitten wolf skin was becoming as opposed to the allure leather seems to pose, because you thought I was coming over to hit on you.'

Xena sat up, convinced. Incredulous she asked, 'Gabrielle?'

Gabrielle nodded. Xena moved to make room for her unfamiliar friend, and caught the glare of the woman whose advances Gabrielle had turned down minutes earlier. Xena looked at her friend. It didn't seem possible. Couldn't be.

'How, why, … when?' she stammered.

Gabrielle leaned dejectedly on the table. 'Well, it seems I pissed off a god.'

Xena nodded an experience she'd had more than a fleeting acquaintance with. 'Who? Ares, Aphrodite, Discord? Please tell me it wasn't Hera!'

Gabrielle shook her head. 'No… let me think. It was Ares nephew.'

'But Strife was killed by Hercules.' Gabrielle gave Xena an irritated glare, and shushed her with her hand.

'Yeah, he was. Menace! That's it. As for when, well I've had a day to get used to this body and I still hate it.'

Gabrielle felt something shift uncomfortably below the table. She still hadn't figured out a way of moving without having 'other things' crawl around of their own free will. She tried to sneak her hand under the table without Xena noticing. She thought she'd gotten away with it, and was just about to rearrange when Xena looked under the table, thinking Gabrielle had dropped something. Mortified, Gabrielle quickly put her hand back on the table and folded them. Xena cleared her throat embarrassed at the faux pas.

'So ah, is it permanent?' she asked avoiding looking her young friend in the eye.

Gabrielle shook her head. 'No, all I have to do is get to the Southern Oracle, and I'll be told how I can get my original body back.'

Confused Xena asked, 'You mean the Oracle at Delphi?'

'No, he specifically said the 'Southern Oracle'. Anyway, I figure we should be able to…'

Xena put her hand on the masculine fore arm. Gabrielle looked at her. 'Gabrielle, there is no Southern Oracle.'

Gabrielle studied her face, searching for some hint that Xena was pulling a fast one on her. Finally she said, 'You're kidding right?'

With a sympathetic look, Xena shook her head.

'Oh come on! All I did was call him a moron, and he's damn lucky that was all I did after the move he made. There was no way I was going to just lay there and take it. What in Tartarus did he expect?' Gabrielle let her head drop to the table in frustration.

Xena looked at her with alarm. 'What exactly did he try to do to you?'

Gabrielle looked up. 'What? Oh, he tried to kiss me. I mean he didn't even look the same. Even if I'd known who he was, I wouldn't have let him kiss me!'

Much of what Gabrielle was saying made no sense, but Xena tried to comfort her friend. 'Maybe we could go to Ares for help. It is his nephew, and he seems to have a thing for me. I could talk to him for you.' The very thought of it made her skin crawl, but for Gabrielle…

'Maybe it's a new one!' Gabrielle burst out, not having heard a word Xena had said.

Xena shook her head. 'No, a new Oracle would be big news, and I haven't heard anything.'

'That's just great! I'm going to be stuck like this the rest of my life.' Now entirely irate, and not caring in the least, she added. 'Now if you'll excuse me, I have to straighten up.'

While Gabrielle was engrossed in getting the wedding tackle to sit right, Xena cast a sideways glance at her. At least she hadn't been turned into a pig, or harpie. She actually made a pretty good-looking guy. Gabrielle finally had everything sitting comfortably. Looking up she caught Xena staring.

'Now what?' she asked alarmed.

'Nothing, I was just thinking that it was a lucky thing you weren't turned into a farmyard animal or Gorgon or something even worse.'

'Thank Zeus for small favors.'

Xena stood. 'Come on, let's get out of here. We'll head south. I could be wrong about the Oracle, maybe someone along the way will have heard something.'

Gabrielle stood next to her and tweaked her crotch uncomfortably. Xena looked at her. 'You're taller.'

Nodding ruefully Gabrielle said, 'I know, I've already knocked my head half a dozen times.'

Gabrielle guided Xena through the crowd, drawing an angry look from the young woman whose advances she had spurned.

'Why didn't you bring your staff in with you? It would have been the clincher.'

Gabrielle pointed to the sign posted above the door;





'**NO WEAPONS ALLOWED'**

as they left. 'Besides which, tell me honestly. Your best friend's a day late and a strange albeit handsome man walks in carrying her staff. Now, what do you do? Talk calmly and rationally and let the young man explain himself, or beat the Tartarus out of him, then put the pinch on him to find out what happened to your friend?'

Xena shrugged, 'Well…'

Eyebrows raised, Gabrielle watched her best friend squirm. 'Well, what?'

Xena considered a little longer, 'Well, you're probably right,' she conceded.

Grinning, Gabrielle shook her head. 'Yeah, probably.'

They both smiled as they lead Argo from the hitching post and made their way out of town.

_… We hadn't been on the road for long when I discovered that for some reason I no longer needed my staff to be effective in a fight…_

Xena and Gabrielle walked in companionable silence, when Xena turned to her young friend. 'We've go at least a dozen men surrounding us.'

Nodding Gabrielle answered, 'I was about to tell you the same thing.'

Seconds later, they were attacked. The bandits seemed to pour from the surrounding undergrowth. Gabrielle, caught off guard by a bandit wrenching at her staff, let go to keep from falling. Xena seeing her friend on the verge of attack, threw an unconscious bandit at one of Gabrielle's approaching assailants. With two still standing, Gabrielle had no time to retrieve her staff, so she started in with her fists. Never having been one for hand-to-hand combat, Gabrielle was too busy to be surprised by her sudden expertise. Every blow connected every kick potentially lethal.

With a flurry of punches, Gabrielle was able to knock out four of their attackers, and send one hurtling Xena's way with a well-aimed kick to his stomach. Xena nodded her thanks. She took a few glances between kicks, punches, and sword strikes, marveling at the viciousness of Gabrielle's defense. Her focus, strength and speed. She never would have believed so long ago, that the irritating tag along could become such a lethal wild cat fighter. As she double kicked an approaching highwayman, Xena was pretty certain that it would be a close contest if they were to enter a hand-to-hand competition. Gabrielle knocked out the last of the bandits, and picked up her staff, surveying the damage. Two men rose groggily to their feet and staggered back into the undergrowth. The remaining men lay where they were in various degrees of pain and consciousness.

Xena threw her sidekick a questioning look.

Gabrielle was straight on the defense. 'What?'

'Nothing, it's just that I've never seen you actually punch your way through a fight. To be honest, I wasn't even aware that you knew how to punch. Anything else I should know about?'

'Funny,' Gabrielle replied with dry sarcasm. 'Tell you something though, I never thought it could be such a rush.'

'We should see how well you can throw a spear.'

'Why?'

Xena continued with a smile. 'Well, maybe you could compete at the next Olympics.'

As she walked past Gabrielle, and pointed at a low hanging branch. 'Don't forget to duck on your way through.' Gabrielle smiled as they continued on. She took a last glance back at the unconscious men. The smile left her face, to be replaced by a troubled look.

…..

**DAY 7**

Lost in the past, Gabrielle stopped writing. Memories to her past flooded back, as she relived the horror of her actions. The recent realization still terrified her. Her newfound strength had made her capable of killing without a weapon. That though was only secondary to the memory of the intensely arousing and intoxicating feelings the fight had stirred up in her. Feelings she never knew she possessed, and frankly never wanted.

From across the stable, Xena watched the expression on Gabrielle's face change. Although they were now masculine, she'd known Gabrielle long enough to recognize the introspective mood that had just descended on her friend. She wandered over. After a few moments she spoke.

'Hey.'

She almost expected the same reaction as that morning, but Gabrielle merely looked up questioningly.

'Hey what?' Gabrielle asked making room for Xena as she sat down next to her.

'Noticed the look you just had on your face. What's up?'

Gabrielle smiled a little, it was a kind of comforting feeling knowing someone knew her well enough to know when she was upset. She rolled up her quill in the scroll, and set it down. 'Nothing much, just thinking and considering.'

'In your case not necessarily a good combination.' She was more than familiar with the despondency that set in when Gabrielle became too pensive.

'Doesn't look like it'll stop raining anytime soon. I'm going to get us something to eat, and fix our stay here for the night.' She gave the young man a friendly nudge. 'Coming?'

Nodding in Siromos' direction Gabrielle shook her head. 'Someone's got to watch him. Why not take Coralyn. She looks on the verge of a severe case of cabin fever.'

At the other end of the stable, Xena watched the young girl pace from one end to the other. 'No way! I'll stay here, you can go settle things at the Inn.'

With a smile Gabrielle answered. 'You started this, finish it. Surely you can talk to one little girl. It's not like she'll bite.'

Xena gave a doubtful shrug as she got up to leave, 'You know you're going to have to take over eventually.'

'Maybe not. Trust yourself a little more. Your instincts may be more to caving in heads, but you're better at it than you may think.'

Looking deep into Gabrielle's eyes, Xena saw something there that she wished she could reach, instead she quickly squeezed her arm. 'Whatever it is, don't let it bother you too much.'

Gabrielle smiled. 'I'll try. Thanks.'

Xena returned the smile, and walked over to where Coralyn was on her fifth lap of the far wall. 'Let's go.'

'Where to?' Came the sullen response from the far end of the stable.

'You're going to help me bring dinner over.'

Coralyn stopped and pouted at the suggestion. 'Why don't you stay here, and look after him, and I'll go with Gabriel?'

_That would please me more than you know, _she thought. 'Very funny,' Xena said dryly. 'Let's go.' Xena grabbed the young girl's arm and pulled her to the door.

To Gabrielle she said, 'See you in a little while.'

Then addressing both men she asked, 'Any requests for dinner?'

Siromos replied with his usual glare, and Gabrielle shook her head. 'I'm easy.'

Coralyn followed the Warrior Princess to the Inn. The miserable look on her face didn't diminish even when Xena bought her a mug of watered down honey ale. Coralyn sat on the barstool mumbling her grievances.

Ignoring her Xena called over the bar keep with a look ordered four House Specials to go, and asked for the cost of half the barn for the night.

The man nodded. 'You sure? We do have vacancies.'

Coralyn opened her mouth to say something, but closed it with a warning look from Xena. 'Yes, we're sure. Thank you.'

'All right then. The platters will be fifteen minutes.'

'How much is that all up?' Xena asked taking out her purse.

'With the drinks, it comes to seven Dinars.' Xena fished the money from her purse and slid it over the counter. 'Oh, how much for a pitcher of ale?'

'One Dinar,' the bar tender answered reaching behind him to grab a jug.

Xena handed him the extra money. 'I'll take that with the food.' He nodded. Xena then grabbed the two mugs in one hand and pulled Coralyn's sleeve with the other. 'Let's talk.'

Coralyn rolled her eyes, as Xena dragged her to a vacant table. She sat the girl down.

Slouching in her chair Coralyn scowled. 'Now what?'

Xena took a large swallow of her sweet full strength beer, and a deep breath. 'I know you miss your family, and home. And I would love to be able to let you sleep in your own room at the Inn. But we don't have the money for it. Most importantly though and know you won't agree, but you need to be around people as much as possible right now.'

'Yeah, but one of the people I have to be around is the one who killed my family in cold blood. And thanks to your moral fortitude he's still alive. While my family's dead.' Coralyn retorted.

Xena sat quietly for a minute, trying to calm her rising temper. The recent and sudden loss of her family, she knew had been traumatic. However, the girl was seriously testing her patience. With another deep breath, she said, 'I know, that's why we're taking him to Athens to be tried for those crimes.'

Color rose in the young girl's cheeks as her anger grew. 'Oh that's just great! They'll stick him in prison for a few years, then release him to rejoin some warlord's militia, and start his murdering all over again, and that's only if they find him guilty. No, death is the only thing good enough for him. The slower the better.'

Xena closed her eyes, she could imagine a young Callisto saying something very similar about the Warlord Xena, after she'd killed her family. Callisto's monster had remained at large, and had in turn spawned a monster. She opened her eyes to find Coralyn on the verge of tears.

'I know quite a few people who would say the same of me.' Xena said quietly.

Coralyn looked at her a little stunned and shook her head. 'No way, you're nothing like that murderer.'

'I was once a lot worse.' A montage of burning villages, screaming people and dead men rushed her memory. She shook her head to clear the images. 'I was able to change because someone had faith in me.'

Coralyn smiled. 'Gabriel right?'

Xena shrugged. 'To some extent yes, but the man who started it was Hercules.'

Leaning forward enthusiastically, eyes lit up, Coralyn leaned forward. She'd heard a lot of stories about the legendary demi-god. How he'd saved whole villages from being trampled by angry Cyclopes, how he'd slain the hydra. But to actually meet someone who really knew him. 'Really?'

Xena nodded.

'Awesome! What's he like? Is he really handsome? How strong is he? How close…'

'You're missing the point,' Xena interrupted. Coralyn sighed and sat back in her chair. 'The point being, after all I'd done to him and his best friend Iolaus, he was able to forgive me, and in doing so, I discovered the light in me hadn't been entirely extinguished. It was at that time, I promised myself to give others the chance I'd been given. Guilty or not!'

The mere mention of second chances put the cold look back on Coralyn's face. 'Well, I know first hand of his guilt, and no sweet story about change and forgiveness will make me change my mind about that monster you're protecting in the barn.' With that the distraught youngster pushed away from the table and ran out the door.'

Xena rubbed her eyes, torn between pity and irritation. She sat deep in thought until their dinners were ready.

Balancing the four plates, mugs and pitcher of drink on a serving tray, she carefully hurried through the rain to the stables.

Inching her way through the door, she set the tray on the floor. 'Dinner's served.' She looked around for Coralyn. 'Where's the girl?'

Shrugging Gabrielle replied. 'I thought she was with you.'

'No, she stormed out of the Inn about five minutes ago. I thought she came back here.'

'We have to look for her,' Gabrielle said stating the obvious. 'The temperature's dropped, and it's still raining. She could be anywhere by now.'

She was halfway through the door. 'I should go,' said Xena.

'No, I'll go.' She ducked into the storm.

………

Coralyn sat in the rain at the water's edge. The small pond reminded her of those last hours with her friends, the kiss Jason had given her. She hated herself for having played hooky. For not having been there when the village had been attacked. If she had, she'd be dead now. It was what she deserved. If only…

Gabrielle finally spotted the girl sitting in the rain by the small pond behind the Minotaur. The wind and rain had increased, further dropping the temperature. Gabrielle's teeth chattered with the cold. If the girl got sick now, it would add weeks to their journey, or they'd have to split up.

'You need to come in out of the rain.' Gabrielle said softly from behind her.

'LEAVE ME ALONE!' Coralyn yelled through her tears, and stormed off in the direction of the stables. Gabrielle clenched her jaw against the cold and closed her eyes. Opening and closing her fists in frustration, as she followed the girl back to warmer surroundings. She was beginning to see what Xena meant about trying to be understanding. She could see how her friend would be frustrated by the wall the young girl had built.

Coralyn burst into the barn, and went straight to the loft.

Xena met Gabrielle at the door a short time later. 'What happened?'

'She yelled at me to leave her alone, then ran back here.' Gabrielle's teeth started chattering again, and her lips were almost blue.

'Not going so well then?' Gabrielle handed Xena her dinner, and draped a blanket around her sodden friend's shoulders.

Gabrielle smiled her gratitude, and shook her head at the question. 'I'm not sure anyone can get past the wall she's put up.'

A rare hint of self-doubt crept into Xena's voice. 'Why is it so hard this time? I can identify with the way she feels I know what loss is about. And why does she irritate me so much?'

Gabrielle sat down, next to her friend, wincing at the pain it caused her still tender ribs. 'Everyone's different. You may never get through to her on a personal level but just being there may be enough.'

Xena grimaced. 'I know you can pull it off.' Gabrielle said encouragingly.

'No,' Xena said swallowing. 'It's the food, it's almost as bad as one of Joxer's concoctions.' Nodding in Siromos's direction she asked, 'Has our friend said anything yet?' She took another wary bite of her dinner.

'Nope. Name, a few lewd comments. That's all.'

'Lewd comments?'

Color rose in Gabrielle's face. 'Yeah, seems he's under the impression that you and I are more of an item, than we are friends.'

Standing, she collected the empty plates, and placed them on the tray. Xena watched in silence, she'd given little thought to the change Gabrielle had been through, once she'd accepted the young man was actually her best friend. It only now occurred to her that there were biological, and psychological changes on top of the physical that Gabrielle would be dealing with. She'd known her fair share of young men, and although she knew Gabrielle would never act on an impulse, the impulses were probably there nonetheless. It could also shed some light on recent bizarre behavior. Why she'd run off the other evening, and very probably the dreams she'd been having. Dropping her eyes to her plate, Xena blushed a little and hurriedly finished off the rest of her meal. Placing the plate on the tray, Gabrielle was holding.

'I'll go,' Xena said taking the tray from her young friend. 'They have baths upstairs, and I need to do some serious unwinding. Do you have any camomile left?'

Gabrielle nodded. Fossicking around in her bag for the pungent herb, she handed it to Xena.

'Ask Coralyn to go with you,' she suggested. 'After the time she spent in the rain, I would say she could use a bath too.'

Nodding Xena took a step toward the ladder and called up, 'Hey, Coralyn, want to come for a bath?'

There was no answer, and Xena shrugged. 'I'll be back in about an hour.'

Wistfully Gabrielle watched her leave. She loved baths, and playing babysitter was a lousy substitute. She sat down near the warrior. Picking up her pen and paper, she checked where she'd left off.

…_The fight didn't last long and Xena was as surprised as I was at the speed with which I handled the bandits…_

Gabrielle dipped her quill in the small ink well.

_A couple of days later and I was still being surprised in unexpected and embarrassing ways. The worst happened on the morning of the third day stuck in this strange masculine being…_

TBC….


	4. PART 4

**DAY 4**

'Ares, show yourself!' Xena stood in the middle of the clearing waiting for the feeling that the god of War had arrived. He finally materialized. His hair was unusually disheveled, and he looked more annoyed than usual.

Tucking his shirt into his trousers, he said, 'What now? This had better be important, you interrupted me at a very bad moment.'

Xena smiled, pretty much knowing what that moment had been. 'Do you have any idea what your idiot nephew's done?'

He slicked back his hair, trying to neaten it a little. 'You know, he's a big boy now, and I'm not his father.'

Xena's glare stopped him.

'Alright, now what's he done?'

She pointed through the clearing at the masculine form of the sleeping Gabrielle.

Jealous, he demanded, 'Hey, what about us?'

'Ares, there is no us,' Xena said exasperated. 'Plus which look again.'

Ares took a few steps. 'What? He's kinda good looking if you like that type.'

'Ares, your idiot nephew turned my best friend into a man.'

'You're telling me that's Gabrielle?'

'Yes, that's what I'm telling you. And I want you to talk to him and tell him to change her back.'

'Well hold on, if he changed her, he had a good reason.'

'Yeah, she said that he did it because she rejected his advances. Ares, I'm warning you. You had better do something about this.'

'Or what? You're mortal, and I'm a god. I can pretty much do what I want.'

'Ares, please. You have to do it. For me.'

He looked at the tall dark beauty standing before him. How could he resist those perfect blue eyes? Lowering his head he nodded. 'Alright, I'll talk to him. But it'll be his decision if and when he changes her back.'

Xena nodded. 'That's all I'm asking. Thank you.'

He disappeared, leaving Xena to watch her friend sleep.

Ares paced his room. The pretty young thing he'd picked up at one of the better establishments in Athens watched him from the bed. She pouted. 'Ares, baby, come back to bed, I'm getting cold.'

It was hard to miss, but he ignored her anyway.

'MENACE! Get your rear end in here NOW!' He continued pacing until the lad was standing in front of him. Dressed in an equally outrageous out fit, as the last time he'd seen him.

He scowled, 'What?'

'I want you to change Gabrielle back, now.'

'No way. For starters, I'm having way too much fun, and secondly, it's my business.'

'Listen, I know what it's like. When I was young, Zeus never let me do anything either, and teaching that irritating blond a little lesson, not a bad idea, but you have to change her back.'

Deciding this was his discerning moment, Menace stood fast. 'No. I'll deal with it my own way in my own time.'

With that he disappeared from the room.

The anonymous lake lay aquamarine in the early morning sunshine. The sun had risen only moments earlier and it was shaping up to be another hot, humid day. Xena looked over her shoulder at Gabrielle's sleeping form. She walked back to the campsite and placed the last of the firewood on the dying embers. Sitting down on her blanket, she watched Gabrielle sleep. It was still weird to see masculine features. Noticing the beginnings of a beard growing in, she wondered idly whether Gabrielle had any idea how to shave.

She tapped her sleeping friend lightly on the shoulder. 'Gabrielle wake up.'

Gabrielle mumbled a few unintelligible words and burrowed further under her blanket.

'Wake up!' Xena said shaking the sleeping bard.

Gabrielle's eyes flew open, and she sat up. 'What? What's the matter?'

Sitting back, Xena smiled. 'Nothing. Just wanted to let you know the water's great, and I'm going for a swim.'

Bleary eyed, and blinking with disbelief, Gabrielle said, 'You woke me just to tell me you were going for a swim?'

'Well, I _was_ going to ask you if you wanted to join me.'

Gabrielle yawned expansively. 'You know, I was having the most…' Images of the dream flashed through her mind. Lots of warm water, generous amounts of steam, and the two of them engaged in a passionate embrace. Gabrielle cleared her throat. '… the most intense dream.' She paused. Xena waited for the answer she knew was coming.

Gabrielle blew out a breath. They both smiled.

'Alright, give me a minute.' Gabrielle said pulling her blanket aside. It was then that she realized something uncomfortable and extremely embarrassing was happening. She quickly pulled the blanket back over herself. Meanwhile, Xena had already stripped and was making a beeline for the water yelling, 'Last one in's a rotten Stymphalian egg!'

She executed a graceful dive into the cool shallow water. Surfacing a short time later, she swam a few strokes out into the lake before turning around. She was surprised to see Gabrielle still in bed. Xena called out, 'Hey, what are you waiting for? If you're embarrassed, I can turn around.'

Rising cautiously Gabrielle turned her back to the shore. 'Ah, I'll stay and start breakfast.'

Xena swam back to the shore. 'Breakfast can wait. Come on, the water's wonderful.'

More alarmed than angry, Gabrielle snapped back, 'Look, I changed my mind alright.'

'Okay, no problem.' Xena answered, bewildered and a little hurt.

Gabrielle turned to apologize, but found Xena had already swum out of earshot. She sighed and walked uncomfortably into the woods to collect more fuel for the fire.

Gabrielle transferred the wood to one arm and scratched her stubbled cheek. It was yet another side effect she'd never considered. Her mind drifted back to the dream Xena had woken her from. The long embrace. The promise of more to come. Even the memory of a long ago innocent kiss, became the fiery catalyst to further imaginings.

'Oh for goodness sake,' she said aloud. 'Get a grip. She's your best friend. That's the end of it. That's all.'

She bent to pick up another stick. The unbidden images didn't go away, and she tolerated, even entertained a quiet joy from them. So engrossed in her daydreams, the normally astute, and alert bard, didn't notice the flight of startled birds.

Menace watched the young man from behind a tree. He stepped out as Gabrielle straightened up. Thinking she'd been alone, Gabrielle screamed, very much like a girl and dropped the firewood. 'Son of a…!'

Smiling maliciously, Menace stood back. He loved this part of being a god. The part where you got to scare a few years of life out of people by merely appearing without warning. 'You know,' he said smoothly. 'You startle really easily!'

Recovering quickly from her fright, Gabrielle retrieved the dropped wood. 'Oh, it's you,' she said and kept walking. 'Hey, haven't you done enough, or have you just come to admire your handy work? No, I've got it you've come to finish the job! So, what's it going to be a minotaur, centaur? Why not, I'm about as hairy as one. Got a manual maybe, so I know how to work this body, or at least know what to expect?'

Menace listened to the litany. He really did love his job. Putting a consolatory arm around her shoulder. 'Ooh, you are in a bad mood. What's the matter, sleep on a rock?'

Furious, she shrugged off the arm. 'I **slept **fine. It was waking up that was all weird.

'Weird how?' he asked, almost salivating. This was turning out a lot better than he'd imagined.

Gabrielle flushed bright red, and almost said nothing, but she had to know if what had happened was normal. 'Well, apparently another part had already woken up before me.'

Menace looked confused, so she looked down for emphasis. Finally cottoning on to what she meant, he started giggling, which quickly turned into a roaring laugh. Gabrielle watched him growing more livid, the longer his laughter lasted. Finally his laughter tapered off into an occasional snort.

'Finished?' Gabrielle asked keeping her raging temper barely under control.

He wiped his eyes, chuckled a little more, and nodded. 'That, well I've heard it's quite normal for mortal males to wake in various stages of excitement. So, tell me what bought it on? Did you have to pee, or did you have a dirty dream?'

He waited for her to tell him which of the two had caused the morning salute. 'None of your business.' Gabrielle said walking away. Menace ran a little to catch up.

'Ooh, you had a dirty dream.' Then after a few seconds thought he added, 'It was about Xena wasn't it?'

Gabrielle ignored him. 'You might have mentioned a few of the things that might happen when you did this.'

'Why? You're the most fun I've had in a long time. So while you still have hold of my interest, do you have any other questions, queries, posers?'

'Yeah, actually. Xena says the only Southern Oracle, would be the one at Delphi.'

Of course it was, but he was having way too much fun. The longer they believed it, the more annoyed they'd be when they found out there was no Southern Oracle. 'Your friend Xena doesn't always know everything. Just keep heading south, you'll find it.' He lied.

'I'm kinda bored now though, so as much as I'd like to stay and shoot the breeze, I've got despots to create, and kings to destroy. Next time though I want to hear about that dream,' he said disappearing in the typical god fashion she so hated.

'Hey, wait! I need to ask a few more…' but he was already gone. She turned back to camp and muttered, 'Butthead,' under her breath.

She walked back into camp to see Xena skinning a freshly caught fish. The warrior woman looked up as Gabrielle approached. 'Fish alright for breakfast?'

Upset from her encounter with Menace, Gabrielle threw the wood next to the fire. 'Sure, fine. Whatever!'

Worried, Xena asked, 'Are you alright?'

Plundering their bags, Gabrielle replied, 'No I'm not!'

Before Xena could ask what she was looking for, the strange young man yelled, 'Damn it! Why isn't there ever a knife when I need one?'

Startled, Xena rose to her feet. She fished out her breast dagger. 'Here you go. What are you going to do with it?'

Gabrielle ignored her. 'Soap?' Xena grabbed the bar she'd used earlier and handed it to her irate friend.

'Thank you,' she said heading for the waters edge. Xena watched as Gabrielle lathered up, and started shaving. She smiled at Gabrielle's surprise when she nicked herself. The smile faded when with just one stroke of the knife, she cut herself three more times. Xena went to help her before she died of severe blood loss. She took the knife from Gabrielle, who relinquished it with some relief.

'Must be blunt,' she said expecting Xena to sharpen it for her.

Xena smiled a little. 'Yeah, that must be it.' She took Gabrielle's chin in her hand, gently tilted it to the side, and began expertly to scrape away the stubble. Five minutes later, Gabrielle ran her hand over the now smooth skin and smiled, a little contrite. 'Thanks.'

Xena shrugged. 'I have many skills.'

Later, the silence was heavy. 'I'm sorry.' Gabrielle started.

Xena looked up from her breakfast. 'What about?'

'About snapping, and yelling at you. The bad mood in general. Until things are back to normal, please don't take anything I say to heart.'

'Don't worry about it. Remember though, you never have to be ashamed, or embarrassed to tell me anything.' Xena said trying to re-establish some level of trust. The last few days, she known there was something more than the obvious bothering her, but Gabrielle assured her she was fine.

At that moment, Gabrielle wanted to blurt it all out. To tell her about the fantasies she was having about her, about them. The dreams, everything. She nodded. 'I know it's just … I mean, what if I'm stuck like this the rest of my life?'

Shaking her head Xena said, 'That's not going to happen.' Although what she didn't tell Gabrielle was that it was looking like a very good probability.

'But what if it does?'

'Nothing has to change.' The thought of Gabrielle remaining a man made Xena incredibly uncomfortable. She'd noticed slight personality changes. Most pronounced was her short temper. It took a lot for Gabrielle to loose her cool, but since being cursed, the smallest things were liable to set her off. Equally disturbing, was the increase of violent impulses, which the old Gabrielle would never have given in to. She could see her trying to fight them, the old Gabrielle winning most of the time, but it seemed inevitable that she would eventually give in. Although these alone weren't enough to stop a friendship like theirs, there was the possibility of more changes. Changes that would alter the very core of Gabrielle's being. Her gentle nature, good humor. All the things she'd come to depend on.

'It's already changed. Xena, doesn't it strike you as slightly bizarre that you had to shave me just now?'

'Well, it was that or watch you bleed to death,' Xena said trying to lighten the mood.

**DAY 7**

'Hey.'

Gabrielle looked up from her writing. Xena stood in front of her, still a little went and smelling of warm chamomile. Until that very moment, Gabrielle hadn't given any thought to how sensual that smell was.

'How's it going/' Xena asked drying off her hair a little more, and sitting next to Gabrielle.

'They're both asleep.' She shifted uncomfortably. The impulse to run her hands through Xena's hair, to kiss those full lips, was difficult to ignore. Finally she scrambled to her feet, and moved away from her friend. 'I've got to get out of here.'

'But you're still wet, and it hasn't stopped raining.'

'I've been cooped up here a little too long,' she said heading for the door. 'I need to stretch my legs.'

Xena nodded and watched her leave. Her apprehension at the current situation grew. Despite her own reassurances, Xena felt the gulf between them growing. Gabrielle's enigmatic evasion of what was bothering her was upsetting. On top of the orphan they were trying to help, it was becoming more complicated every day. She wanted to help, but the closest she'd come to knowing what was wrong was a comment Gabrielle had made about something Siromos had said. Xena remembered the deep flush that had come over her friend. Something the captured warrior had said about the two of them together.

Gabrielle leaned against the closed door and took a deep breath. That was a little too close, she thought. Choosing a path at random, she began walking. Not caring where it led, just needing to walk. A short time later, she was surprised to find herself in the bar of the Minotaur, ordering a pitcher of honey ale.

Three hours later and Gabrielle knew she was drunk, and it felt surprisingly good. She was only vaguely aware of why she'd gotten drunk. But in the state she was in it didn't seem too important.

A busty brunette took the seat next to her. 'Hey handsome. You here alone tonight?'

Gabrielle looked at the woman through an alcoholic haze. 'What? Oh yeah. I'm alone.' She sighed. 'All alone.'

The dark beauty ran her hand up Gabrielle's thigh. A now all too familiar flutter started warming the pit of her stomach. 'You want some company?'

'Yeah.' The alcohol was beginning to have a melancholy effect on her.

Facing the brunette Gabrielle asked. 'Do you have a best friend?'

'I'll be your best friend if you like,' she said and gently kissed the young man.

Gabrielle pulled back in surprise, and almost fell off her chair. Suddenly quite sober she demanded. 'Why'd you do that?'

'Honey, you look like you need company tonight, and that's what I'm here for.'

Gabrielle's initial reaction was to shy away from the suggestion, even the thought. But her modified psyche began to wage a war against her old way of thinking. She looked at the brunette hooker. Defeated she lowered her eyes.

'How much?' It was little more than a whisper.

'Forty Dinar for half an hour,' she said leading Gabrielle from the bar and up the stairs.

Gabrielle's apprehension grew, as they neared the top of the stairs, but her common sense was drowned by alcohol, which was beginning to reassert its effect on her. The woman closed the door, and gave her a deep kiss. Gabrielle started pushing away, but gave in. A minute or so later, and out of breath, she asked, 'What's your name?'

Running her hand down Gabrielle's chest she said, 'Priscilla.'

Xena woke slowly. She'd fallen asleep, sitting where Gabrielle had left her. Estimating she'd only slept for about half an hour, she looked around the barn. Gabrielle hadn't returned. She checked the prisoner, and climbed to the loft to check on Coralyn, whom she found sleeping burrowed in a haystack. Satisfied that everything was secure, she left the barn in search of her friend.

The rain had stopped, and she saw a small swatch of stars through a tear in the clouds. The Minotaur was still lit and doing business. She looked in. Gabrielle was not at the bar. Xena went in and checked all the tables. The barkeep watched her. As she turned to leave, he called her over.

'You looking for a young man? Blond, about your height?'

She grew anxious. 'Yeah, have you seen him?'

The man nodded. 'Sure, he went upstairs with one of the local lasses about five minutes ago.'

The brunette nudged Gabrielle over to the bed. Slowly undoing her shirt until it hung loose around her waist. Gabrielle backed into the bed, causing her to sit suddenly. She let herself be gently pushed until she was lying down. Still very much inebriated, Gabrielle lay motionless as Priscilla straddled her thighs and gently caressed the bruises coloring her ribs. Priscilla then began slowly undoing the waistband of her trousers.

Xena bounded up the stairs two at a time. She checked in each room, and hastily apologized three times before finally bursting in on Gabrielle spread eagle on a bed, being undressed by a large breasted, dark haired bimbo.

Startled, Gabrielle sat up. 'Xena! What are you doing here?'

A cold stare from Xena was all the convincing Priscilla needed to vacate the room.

Gabrielle swung her legs over the side of the bed. 'Why'd you do that?'

Xena looked at her horrified. 'Gabrielle, you were just about to sleep with a hooker.'

'What if I had? It's my money, and my choice.' She pulled her shirt back on. 'And no concern of yours.'

'That's where you're wrong. I'm worried about you. You've become evasive, combative, irritable, and sullen. All I want is to help, but you seem determined to leave me out of what you're going through.'

Gabrielle felt like bursting at the continuous barrage of emotions. 'I didn't do it to hurt you. You weren't even supposed to know. But I needed to forget. Even if it was for only a little while.'

Confused Xena asked, 'What are you talking about? Do something to forget about what?'

The silence stretched an eternity. Gabrielle looked away, ashamed. The weight of Xena's piercing gaze suddenly became too much for the confused bard. Gabrielle pushed past her and fled the room.

Dismayed, Xena followed slowly down the stairs. She found her in the bar, alone at one of the tables. Xena sat next to her. 'Please tell me,' she said softly.

'I… I' Gabrielle took a deep breath. 'I love you.'

Smiling Xena said, 'I love you too.'

Gabrielle's heart tripped and quickened a few more beats. 'No, I'm in love with you.'

'Oh.'

Gabrielle's heart sank. This was the reason she'd kept things to herself. The gut wrenching knowledge that the feelings weren't reciprocated were being confirmed. She stood to leave, but Xena pulled her back down. 'Gabrielle, when I said I love you, it's not restricted friendship, it reaches every part of who I am, and who I hope you are. I'd love you no matter what. That you're in love with me is great.'

Color rose in Gabrielle's cheeks. 'I just thought… well, that you …'

Xena reached behind her head and pulled her over. 'That's your problem, you think too much.'

As they drew closer, Gabrielle closed her eyes. They kissed soft passionate. She'd imagined it many times, but nothing could have compared to the real thing. Their passion was barely contained as they hurriedly made their way back to the barn. In an isolated corner, Xena removed Gabrielle's shirt, and unbuttoned her trousers.

Gabrielle pulled back. 'Are you sure?'

Xena sighed, 'Would you shut up already?'

**DAY 8**

Waking slowly, Gabrielle smiled at the memory of the previous night. She turned on her side and watched Xena's sleeping form. It wasn't long before she woke.

'What?' she asked with a smile.

Picking a piece of straw from her dark hair Gabrielle said, 'This was my dream. This is what I was keeping from you.'

'Why?'

'I thought I could deal with it. Until I got my body back, and then it wouldn't have made a difference.'

'But… we've already…'

'I know, but as a man.'

'As a man it was very different, but still great. You still don't get it. I love you, no matter what shape you are.'

TBC?


End file.
